Executive Chef

Eric L. Austin

*** *** ***** **. #***, Loring Park Minneapolis, MN 55403

(612) 871- 4239

********@*******.*** or, Google/Yahoo subject “Chef Eric Austin” for all food write ups

EXECUTIVE CHEF

• Specializing in French, Continental and American Southern Fine-Dining Cuisine

• Dynamic, Detailed and Results-Oriented, and Team-Spirited

Overview

More than 20 years of professional cooking experience, 10 years of which in positions of kitchen management including Executive and Sous Chef. Exemplify leadership qualities and professionalism, backed by a consistent, verifiable record of achievement.

Most recently developed and maintained three Minneapolis/St. Paul based restaurants:

• Bourbon Street Steak House

• Chef E's Soul Food and Blues and Big E's Soul Food

• voted Best New Restaurant, Best Soul Food and Best Soulful Brunch by Mpls/St. Paul Magazine 2003,

• Featured in Star Tribune Newspaper's “13 Minneapolis Four Star Chefs” article 2004 and AOL's Cityguide winner including:

• Customer's poll voted “Best Restaurant on Eat Street,” “Best Places to Warm Up To” 2005.

• Past achievements included but were not limited to: Consistently maintained 5* core menus and Michelin 2* rated restaurant establishments including: Le' Cirque Restaurant (New York City, NY), l'Esperance in St.- Pere- sous-Vezelay (Burgundy, France) Commander's Palace (New Orleans, La) The Peabody Hotel (Memphis, TN) and La Cou Rouge (Nashville, TN)

Areas of Expertise

• Executive/Sous-Chef experience with multi-million dollar, upscale establishments and understanding the policies and procedures of restaurant development including the start-up of my own full scale restaurants.

• Training and development specialist; teaching instructor

• Successful up-scale and banquet catering experience (including celebrity events, sport organizations, corporate events and conventions up to 40,000 people)

• Maximizing kitchen productivity and staff performance

Professional Experience

Bourbon Street Steak House

200 N Concord Exchange, South Saint Paul, MN 55075 5/08 – 9/08

Executive Chef / Partner

• Conceptualized developed and maintained core menu for an 80 seat multi million dollar casual fine dining New Orleans themed steak house.

• Created entrees and specialty prix fixe banquet items for a 350 seat capacity banquet and event center hall.

• Hire/fire and supervision of both FOH and BOH personnel including General Manager, Bar Manager, and Sous Chef as well as conduct performance evaluations.

• Responsible for all purchasing, inventory cost, waste control, and kitchen maintenance in accordance with health and HAACP regulations.

• Specifically trained all line staff and Sous Chef of all techniques and execution of menu items and daily features, including the development of all banquet and wedding menus not less than 200 persons or 15k.

University Club of St. Paul 3/07 – 1/08

420 Summit Ave. St. Paul MN 55102

Executive Chef

Owner: John Rupp

• To formulate, structure and implement a core menu for an upscale private country club setting housing two fine dining restaurants 60 seats each and one casual fitness restaurant (poolside patio 40 seats) as well as eight full banquet halls housing 250 seats each.

• Act as consulting chef to their private golf country club (Stout Island Wis.) and contributing chef to menu development at W.A. Frost Restaurant, St. Paul. Hire, train and schedule all kitchen staff (30 – 50) including three sous chefs, for all facilities (Summit, Cedar and The Commodore) in coordination with the food and beverage director, maintain effective food cost and inventory of all facilities utilizing “ChefTek” and “CaterEz” software.

Big E's Soul Food / Chef E's Soul Food & Blues 2002 - 2006

1833 & 1831 Nicollet Avenue South Minneapolis, MN.

Owner / Executive Chef

• Development of concept, restaurant design and establish policies of operation in all stations. Develop core, catering and special menus.

• Hire, train, and direct GM's, Hosts, Bartenders, Chef's, Cooks and Maintenance (total # of staff, 17 including self for fine and casual dining 150 seats with Banquet and Wine room)

• Purchasing, assure quality control, maintain inventory while minimizing food cost and waste.

Cafe Un Deux Trois 1996-2000

Minneapolis MN

Sous Chef

Owner: Michael Morse

Executive Chef: Vincent Francuoal

• Maintain and execute core menu and create nightly special menu with approval of Executive Chef for fine dining 85 seat up-scale setting.

• Train and schedule kitchen staff as decided by Executive Chef

• Maintain quality assurance and inventory control, minimal purchasing.

• Education & Qualifications 1982 – 1988 Culinary Institute of America, Hyde Park, New York

• The Science and Technology of Food (Culinology)

• The Chef as Executive, Administrator, and Manager

• International Trends and the History of French Cuisine

• Menu Development (design and execution)

Education

Apprenticeship (Stagiare) Program CIA 1984/ 1985 / 1986

• Chef Marc Meneau, l'Esperance in St-Pere-sous-Vezelay (Burgundy, France)

• Chef Paul Becouse, Cafe des Federation and Leon de Lyon (Lyon, France)

• Le Circque Restaurant (New York City, NY)

• Special Interest and Related Experience

• Developing a cookbook of French Influenced Southern Cuisine (represented by O'Connor Literary Agency)

• The Host Chef of a developing nationally syndicated television cooking show through Kitchen Rescue LLC

• Chef / Instructor for such Minnesota based independent gourmet stores such as: Kitchen Window, Cooks of Crocus Hill, and Kitchen Sync

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